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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Glacial Acetic Acid and Ethylene Glycol incompatibility?
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2013 13:08:13 -0500
Author: "STRAUGHN, John" 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Subject Matter Experts Needed
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2013 13:49:01 +0000
Author: Frank Coppo

From: H. Martin Gillis <martin.gillis**At_Symbol_Here**PROLECS.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Glacial Acetic Acid and Ethylene Glycol incompatibility?
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2013 21:36:25 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: CADKXpLmWOfwwmmEnQrk89mZZEmKChtZpSPMrmgK8=39_vzXB_Q**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To <1373300646.63824.YahooMailNeo**At_Symbol_Here**web120805.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>


Esterification will not be the dominant reaction for this mixture. Ethylene glycol conversion to acetaldehyde - acid catalyzed dehydration would be the chemistry in this case. While, there are are few mechanisms that are proposed, this is not the point of this discussion. Glacial acetic acid is a flammable organic acid; your suggestions is quite reasonable.

-Martin


On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 12:24 PM, Phil McKittrick <phil_mckittrick**At_Symbol_Here**yahoo.com> wrote:
I received a question about storage of ethylene glycol and noticed that a lot of sources specifically mention that ethylene glycol and glacial acetic acid are incompatible. Can anyone explain why? I ran this question past our synthesis group and they were of the opinion that in order to get a reaction even with lighter alcohols, the mixture would need to be heated. Is this an error that has crept into the literature? I also found a recommendation to store away from xylene. That has me really puzzled.

My recommendations were to store with other organic acids or to store in secondary containment away from bases and oxidizers.

Thanks,

Phil McKittrick

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